"A principal architect of Confederation and of
Canada's Constitution, Sir John A. Macdonald was instrumental in
laying the foundation of the Canada we know today, including the
post-Confederation addition of three provinces, Manitoba (1870),
British Columbia (1871) and Prince Edward Island (1873).

"Among his many nation-building accomplishments
over almost nineteen years as prime minister are the foundation of the
Northwest Mounted Police, Canada's first national park, and the
transcontinental railway.

"Macdonald's statement that Canada stands
'amongst the first of the nations in the world in credit, in resources
in standing, in reputation, and in fruition,' rings true with
Canadians as much today as it did when he made it in
1881."

The popn of WV was just over 40K in 1990 and was about the same
in 2010 (it even went down one year). Wasn't it around 42K in
1990 and under 44K in 2010? [stats 1996 = 42,269 and 2009 = 43,307] so
the GFOB more than doubled (~140%?) while popn went up by about 3%?
~47 times the popn increase?

tax rate --> mill rated = budget divided by assessments

With no tax rate increase, anyone whose assessment is the same as
the average will not pay higher taxes; given the av assessment
increase is (roughly) 13%, anyone whose assessment is less than that
will pay less and if higher than that, will pay more.

=== UPDATES & INFO
===

One Reader sent me a couple of links wrt charities/non-profits,
that I found informative:

Last Updated:
Sunday, January 9, 2011 | 1:51 PM ETCBC NewsToronto Mayor Rob
Ford is promising a no new taxes - and no major service cuts - in
the city's 2011 budget. (CBC)

Toronto's new city
council will get down to the nitty-gritty Monday morning. That's when
the city's budget committee will meet to listen to staff
recommendations for the 2011 departmental budgets.

Mayor Rob Ford has said he
wants to see a five per cent reduction from each city
department.

But last week at
least three departments - police, public health and libraries -
said they'll be looking for more money, not less, in 2011.
Ford is scheduled to speak to the committee about the budget process
before it begins the formal review process.

Following that,
"budget chair Mike Del Grande will invite City of Toronto staff
to introduce the staff recommended 2011 budgets," said a news
release from the mayor's office.

Ford promised no new taxes
during his election campaign, as well as getting rid of the $60
vehicle registration tax - which he delivered on in
December.

He is already on record
promising no spending increases and a property tax freeze for 2011,
while at the same time promising no major service
cuts.

"We're going to have a
zero per cent tax increase and we're going to put more money in the
taxpayer's pocket," Ford told CBC News in an interview in
December.

Every department, he
said, will need to find "efficiencies."

"There's fat in
every department. There are no sacred cows around here
... you have to find
efficiencies and savings," he
said.

Last year, the
city's operating budget totalled $8.7 billion of which nearly $900
million was designated for police and another $1.3 billion for the
Toronto Transit Commission - a total of more than $2 billion for the
two departments alone.

Although
Ford has about $280 million left over from 2010,
that's not enough to offset an overall five per cent
cut.

The draft budgets
tabled on Monday will give some indication of where Ford expects to
find those savings. But more meetings and negotiations will take place
before the final capital and operating budgets are approved on Feb.
18.

Residents will have
the opportunity to give their input into the budget process on Jan. 19
and 20 when budget sub-committees will hold local
meetings.

Toronto Mayor Rob
Ford has issued a clear warning to any managers or staff who defy his
cost-cutting edicts: Rein in spending or find a new job.

"If they are
unable to manage effectively in the best interest of the taxpayers,
then we will have to find new managers that can," Mr. Ford said
Monday. ...

Mr. Ford singled
out Toronto police for its proposed 3-per-cent budget increase and
summoned Chief Bill Blair to his office at 2pm Monday.

... As the mayor
revealed his first budget - balanced in large part by the previous
year's surplus - he also told Torontonians they can look forward
to a 10-cent TTC fare hike as of Feb. 1.

Mr. Ford, who
promised a "no tax increase, no major service cut" budget, said he
doesn't like the recommended hike and pledged to keep working on a
way to avoid the increase.
"I did not want to agree to this. I am not happy about this," Mr.
Ford said.
The mayor confirmed reports he plans to use the city's surplus to
balance this year's budget.
Though he lauded the staff and councillors who worked to bring forward
a budget that allows for not only a property-tax freeze but also the
elimination of $64-million in revenue from the vehicle-registration
tax, Mr. Ford issued a clear warning to anyone who defies his
cost-cutting orders.
"Unfortunately, a few of the city's arm's-length agencies chose
not to meet their directives. Their managers and their boards of
directors decided their interests were more important than the
taxpayers' interests. I will assure you, as part of our upcoming
department review process, we will focus on these agencies first and
foremost."

The city
manager has told departments to cut spending by 5 per cent this
year.

Among the agencies
in Mr. Ford's sights are the police board and the library board,
which last week went against staff suggestions to trim costs by
closing the urban-affairs library and moving its materials to the
city's reference library at Yonge and Bloor. In the budget presented
Monday, city staff recommended closing the branch. ...

The
"once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to complete the 2011 budget by the
end of February is "hugely important for the taxpayer," Mr. Ford
said. Leaving budget completion until April, as is customary, "is
called spending without a plan, folks."

"The people of
Toronto were very loud and very clear what they wanted from the city
and their elected representatives," Mr. Ford said. "It's time
for the city to tighten its own belt and give the taxpayers some
breathing room."...

Building Bridges
Vancouver -- Compassionate
Listening Presentation A short DVD on the Compassionate
Listening Project will be shown, followed by discussion.
Facilitator: Barrie MacFadden who participated in the
Compassionate Listening Project trip to Israel/Palestine in
2010. Entrance free, no reservations
necessary.

At 10am,
thousands of British Columbians will "Drop, Cover, and Hold On"
in The Great British Columbia ShakeOut, the largest earthquake drill
in Canadian history. Our goal is to have all NS residents
participate in this simple two-minute Drop, Cover, Hold On drill.
Check out the ShakeOut BC website for details.

Community Concert
Series The WV Community Centre and Pacific Arbour
Retirement Communities presents the Community Concert Series in the
Atrium of the West Vancouver Community Centre. The monthly performances
feature musicians from around Metro Vancouver. All concerts in this
series are free and open to the public.

~ 1:30
to 3:30pm ~ THE NORTH SHORE CELEBRATES YEAR
OF RABBITJohn Weston invites all residents of the
North Shore to the first ever formal celebration of
[Chinese] New Year coordinated by the Member of Parliament at the WV
Recreation Ctr.Admission is FREE, but space will be
limited to the first 500 people. This exciting event will include Lion
[Dance performances], live music, [lucky draws], and complimentary
oriental snacks and drinks. Special guests invited to attend the
festivities include John Weston (MP, West Vancouver, Sunshine Coast,
Sea to Sky Country), Pamela Goldsmith-Jones (The Mayor of WV), and
sponsors. [They] will speak about [hopes] and prospect for the
year to come.

Organized by the Chinese Outreach cmte of the
ofc of John Weston.

This community event is sponsored by the
Municipality of West Vancouver and OSAKA
Supermarket.

Come and practise English
conversation at the Library. English Corner is facilitated by the
Baha'i Community of West Vancouver in partnership with the Library.
Requirement: able to read English. For information call Fariba Rocker
at 604 506 6616.

Join Kerri
Sutherland, Support & Education Coordinator at the Alzheimer
Resource Centre North Shore/Sunshine Coast, for an informative
workshop on brain health & strategies for improving the health of
mind, body, and spirit.

⇒ Saturday
January 29 -- FAMILY LITERACY DAY

This year's Family Literacy Day theme is
"Play for Literacy" which brings together all types of
play that encourage literacy and numeracy. This includes board games,
card games, and word games as just a few of the fun activities that
promote reading, spelling and numeracy. Join the Library for
playful Family Literacy Day Storytime at 10:30am. Bring your children,
parents, and grandparents. Refreshments and games to follow. For more
info visit theLibrary website.

Lionel Thomas (1915
- 2005) and John Vanderpant (1884 - 1939) were central figures within
the professional art communities of Vancouver. In the final stages of
their mature careers, both Thomas and Vanderpant (in their respective
fields of painting and photography) were inspired by the prospect of
discovering new (modernist) approaches to traditional (conventional)
conceptions of portraiture. Their late works record complex / modest
subjects (flowers, plants, and vegetables) from an unconventional
point of view: their innovation was to keep both objectivity and
observation in a state of constant flux.

Time (Time Again) places
their work in juxtaposition for the first time, presenting
fourteen vintage photographs by Vanderpant (from the period 1929
- 1936) and fifteen paintings by Thomas (from the period 1985
-1987).

Locating a thematic
relationship between painting, photography and aesthetic / social
orientation, the exhibition's guest curators [Collective for Advanced
and Unified Studies in the Visual Arts] have noted: "In the final
stages of their mature careers, both artists articulated open,
unconventional points of view, sustaining new (modernist)
potentialities of form and function from their respective
media."

Guest Curators:
CAUSA (Collective for Advanced and Unified Studies in the Visual
Arts)

Paintings
influenced by the great Impressionists, and by inspirational images
and landscapes experienced on travels around the world. This
exhibition features the work of West Vancouver artists Annie
Bohni and
Vancouverite Teresa de la Boursodiere.

Opening Reception: Tuesday January 25th from 6 -
8pm

February 8 -
20 "Learning to Paint"

A solo show by
11-year-old West Van artist Jessica Beddis, talented young artist Jessica Beddis is in grade 7
at Mulgrave School in West Vancouver. She first started drawing on
doodle boards at age two and has been developing her talent since that
time, with the help of her parents who are both amateur painters, and
who encouraged her to explore all kinds of paints and drawing
mediums.

The artist's
reception will be held on the final day of the show, Sunday Feb 20th 2
- 4 pm. Jessica
is a committed young animal advocate and at her request, all sales proceeds of
the exhibition will be donated to her favourite animal rights
protection charity.

Simplest way to get on email list, call
913 3634 or email tickets@kaymeekcentre.com

DOXA
DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL: STEAM OF LIFE

Friday, January
21 7pm General Admission $10

DOXA Documentary
Film Festival's Motion Pictures Series is proud to present the Western Canadian
Premiere of Joonas Berghall and Mika Hotakainen's extraordinary
film Steam
of Life at The Kay
Meek Centre, 'West Vancouver's Cultural Jewel'.

In ramshackle
homemade saunas, beautifully appointed wooden steam rooms, even a
roadside phone booth (that serves as an impromptu hotbox) men reveal
their deepest emotion to each other while sitting naked in the sauna.
Conversations range from how to please women ("daily massage is
key") to the pure unadulterated joy of new fatherhood. Amidst clouds
of superheated steam, a type of humble poetry unfurls, vulnerable,
lovely and deeply human. Set against the stunning magnificence
of the Finnish landscape, Steam of Life is a moving ode to life, love, and the role of
genuine and heartfelt conversation.

"The Finnish sauna
documentary, Steam of Life, had a reputation for being a tear-jerker. I didn't
believe it until I went to see it myself, and all the men in the
cinema were in tears." - BBC

An event for the Botany Section of Nature Vancouver (Vancouver
Natural History Society)

British Columbia is home to incredible wildflower
diversity, the vast majority of which rely on insects (mostly bees)
for successful reproduction. This lecture will introduce you to
the diversity and pollination needs of wildflowers in two of Canada's
most endangered ecosystems. You'll also learn the natural
history of wild bees; we have more than 300 species in BC, that
look and behave nothing like the introduced European honeybee.
Our "charismatic microfauna" come in all shapes and sizes
and colors of the rainbow and may be threatened by habitat loss,
potentially impacting the persistence of wildflower
populations.

Dr. Elizabeth Elle is an Associate Professor in
the Biology Department at Simon Fraser University. Her main
research focus is the estimation of pollinator biodiversity and
pollination services in both wild and agricultural ecosystems of BC.
In her frequent public talks, Elizabeth can have a hard time
remembering she's a serious scientist and shouldn't refer to bees as
"cute".

Waste is a rich portrait of
early 20th century society which, in dramatizing the hypocrisy, sexual
scandals, and ruthless power machinations of the time, is as
powerfully relevant today as when it was first written in 1909.
This play, controversially banned by the Lord Chamberlain when first
presented at the Imperial Theatre, had its first full public
performance 29 years later at the Westminster. It was revived at
the Almeida Theatre in London in September 2008.

>
Terminal City Soundscape Presented with Music on Main and
CABINET Interdisciplinary Collaborations

January 23 - 25 at Heritage
Hall. Discover the essential aesthetics that have come to define
Vancouver musically. Through intercultural music and free improv,
through the World Soundscape Project and a musical fascination with
beauty, Vancouver's leading composers, performers, and musical
thinkers have shown us how the local is universal.

Performances by Standing
Wave, musica intima and many more. Curated by Music on
Main's David Pay who brought us Steve Reich's Drumming in 2009
and So Percussion in 2010...Read more

January 22 - 29, at the Roundhouse
Arts and Recreation Centre, London-based theatre artist Peter Reder
and sound designer Tom Wallace collaborate with Urban Crawl and local
artists to bring us Ciy of Dreams -- an evocative performance piece
that explores the interconnections between memory identiy and place.
The central image of the work is a poetic map of the City of Vancouver
made from hundreds of found objects that are assembled during the
performance.... Read more

The opportunity to adapt
City of Dreams in Vancouver was not to be missed. I began to form
a sense of this piece as my conversations with London-director Peter
Reder deepened. I gleaned bits of video of the show's light-filled
performance in Singapore set afire by hundreds of [tea]-candles, and
then the tracing of sand set against a styrofoam skyline of Brisbane.
These snippets of other places filled my imagination with powerful
images. What would such a mapping look like in Vancouver? I was
hooked....Read more

City
of Dreams and Counter Mapping are supported by Vancity, the
British Council, the Roundhouse Arts and Recreation Centre, the City
of Vancouver, the British Columbia Arts Council, Koerner Foundation,
Hamber Foundation, Vancouver Foundation, and Simon Fraser
University.

January 26 - 28,
at The Legion on the Drive. Mix fabulous contemporary
dance, an intimate cabaret space and a ridiculously small stage, and
find yourself at Dances for a Small Stage. The evening boasts
an impressive array of local and national talent, including Tara
Cheyenne Friedenberg, Billy Marchenski, Delia Brett, Kim
Tuson, and Toronto artist Susie Burpee...Read more

After nine years and 23
instalments of Dances for a Small Stage, we have become a
well-oiled machine. Now, we are starting to mix things up a bit
to keep our "small" series fresh. I am very excited about
the direction of Dances for a Small Stage 23. For this
particular instalment, I have invited two of the most skilled
character performers in Vancouver to help me curate and host the
evening. Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg and Billy Marchenski are
amazingly talented performers and have

+ Firehall Arts
Ctr

The Pavilion --
tragicomedy about a high school reunion at wch long-lost love gets
another chance; directed by Bob Frazer. 8pm Jan 8 to 31 (689
0926)

Wednesday January
26 at 8pm Pre-Concert Introduction at 7:15 at the Kay Meek
Centre

Tafelmusik Baroque
Orchestra (Toronto):; Jeanne Lamon music
director

Toronto's baroque orchestra,
directed by Jeanne Lamon, has become a perennial favourite. The
ensemble returns with a programme of music from the Baroque and the
Rococo: orchestral music by CPE Bach and Lully, and two
well-loved double concertos by JS Bach and
Vivaldi.

Tickets for this concert at $42
(adult), $37 (senior) or $30 (student), are only
available from the Kay Meek Centre Box Office: 604 913-3634
orwww.kaymeekcentre.com.

What makes a great leader?
What qualities do we want in those who govern us and lead us?
Compassion and generosity, or hard-nosed efficiency? Vancouver Opera examines
these questions in conjunction with our production of Mozart's
magnificent last opera La Clemenza di Tito (The Clemency of
Titus), where a strong leader finds power in mercy rather than
revenge. Panelists include political scientist Michael Byers,
BC Housing Chair Brenda Eaton, Tsawwassen First Nation Chief
Kim Baird and Superintendent of Schools for WV Chris
Kennedy. Admission is free. Seating is
limited.

La Clemenza di Tito: Opens February 5

Mozart -- February 5, 8, 10, 12
-- All performances 7:30pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre; In Italian with English
SURTITLES=81

Roman
Emperor Titus's compassionate nature is severely tested when
Vitellia, daughter of the deposed emperor, conspires to have Titus
assassinated because he has passed her over as his wife. When the plot
fails and the assassin is charged, Titus does not waver from his
principles, even when Vitellia, now his intended bride, confesses to
the crime.

Mozart's
striking portrait - of a great ruler who finds power in mercy rather
than revenge - is a model for modern times. Composed in the last
months of Mozart's life, La Clemenza di Tito (The Clemency of Titus)
contains some of his most glorious music for the female voice, along
with dazzling ensembles and stirring choruses.

English books soon! Online
Shopping in 2011! At present, you can purchase books from the
gallery.

=== CCL MTG NOTES JANUARY
10th ===

Note: At 6pm the regular Ccl Mtg will commence
in open session and will be immediately followed by a motion to
exclude the public in order to hold a closed session. The Ccl Mtg
will reconvene in open session in the Ccl Chamber immediately
following the Reconvened PH. At 7pm in the Ccl Chamber the Reconvened PH will be
held. The Ccl Mtg will commence in open session in the Chamber
immediately following.

6:00 PM

1. Call to Order.

2. EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

RECOMMENDED: THAT in the public interest, members
of the public be excluded from part of the January 10, 2011 regular
Council Meeting on the basis of matters to be considered under the
following section of the Community Charter:

90. (1) A part of a council meeting may be closed
to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to or is
one or more of the following:

(a) personal information about an identifiable
individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an
officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position
appointed by the municipality;

(c) labour relations or other employee relations;
and

(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation
of land or improvements, if the council considers that disclosure
could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the
municipality.

The Public Hearing opened on December 13, 2010
and was adjourned to January 10, 2011.

The Director of Planning, Lands and Permits will
describe the proposed Bylaw.

Applicant: The District of West Vancouver

Affected Lands: The proposed Zoning Bylaw applies to all lands
in the District of West Vancouver.

Purpose: To repeal Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 1968, and to
replace it with a new zoning bylaw that is a "technical re-write"
which aims to improve clarity by standardizing and updating the
wording, minimizing redundancy and reducing the potential for
ambiguity.

A consequence of this proposed new zoning bylaw
is proposed Subdivision Control Bylaw No. 1504, 1955, Amendment Bylaw
No. 4668, 2010. The current subdivision bylaw includes minimum lot
size provisions for certain lands currently zoned R.S.2. Under the
proposed new zoning bylaw these lot size provisions are integrated
into the proposed new zoning bylaw. Consequently, the current
regulation regarding the minimum lot size for certain R.S.2 zoned
lands would be redundant. Proposed Subdivision Control Bylaw No.
1504, 1955, Amendment Bylaw No. 4668, 2010 removes these lot size
provisions and is to be considered concurrently with consideration
of the new zoning bylaw. Further, while not required as part of the
Public Hearing process, the public will be given an
opportunity to provide comment on the proposed subdivision control
bylaw amendment at the Reconvened Public Hearing for the proposed new
zoning bylaw.

3. PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURE

Mayor
Goldsmith-Jones will describe the procedure for the Reconvened Public
Hearing...

Submissions received December 14, 2010 -
January 6, 2011 None received to
date.

On November 15, 2010 Council set the date for the
Public Hearing. The statutory notice of Public Hearing was published
in the North Shore News on December 5 and December 8, 2010. The Public
Hearing opened on December 13, 2010 and was adjourned to January 10,
2011. The Municipal Clerk will note written submissions
received.

1. The request for a Boulevard
Encroachment Permit and Licence of Occupation for 3390 Radcliffe
Avenue, to retain a fence and shrubs located in the boulevard, be
declined; and

2. The owners of 3390 Radcliffe
Avenue remove all encroachments within the boulevard adjacent
to their property and reinstate the boulevard to an acceptable
condition within 30 days of Council's resolution at their expense;
and,

3. If the boulevard
encroachments are not removed and the boulevard not reinstated within
the 30-day period, District staff conduct the work and charge the cost
to the owners.

At this
time the bylaw is for a 1.1% tax rate increase. In itself an
achievement, since staff got a 4% increase last year and will in 2011.
To cut 1.1%, must find under $600K -- efficiencies, deferrals,
reorganization, reallocation, outsourcing, seeking more revenue,
and/or ?. Most speakers and letters in correspondence have urged
keeping the same tax rate as in 2009 and 2010. Please note that with
an increase in assessments, even with the same rate, more money was
collected (there was a $500K surplus in revenue in
2010).

The BC
Assessment Authority has reported an increase in $405M in assessments
this year.

Speak up
and tell Ccl what you want, what you think shd be
done.

D/Fin: brief summary re market values, explain process wrt prop
taxes

Assessment role done on Dec 31, you have received

prop owners have until end of January to appeal if unfair

to March Review Panel to see if changes; final assmt role March
31st

any requests, pls go to BC Assmt; good website

the impact of the increased assessments -- most WV [assessments
av increase] between 13 - 15%

also will require a fairly extensive dialogue with the cmnty re
level of service

we are engaging with the public -- informal; one this Thursday
with V4S group and others with great expertise, dialogues with the Ch
of Comm

see direction cmnty wd like to go ... how to deliver services
more efficiently

Mayor: wd like to get to public input; beginning with GWH

> [8pm] GWH: ... not going to address the
five-yr budget b/c I haven't seen it

{Ccl minutes for adoption say: "spoke in support
of a zero tax rate and commented relative to the proposed
budget"

and here's the transcript:}

[TEXT SUPPLIED with some addns after listening to video]

AMBLESIDE & DUNDARAVE RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION --
PROPOSED 2011 BUDGET

Listening to some of the presentations by residents at the
previous meetings it is apparent that ADRA and others have not
adequately explained their position against an increase in the tax
rate. So I will attempt to clarify our
position.

The original District budget presented showed an increase in
revenue for 2011 over that for 2010 of $1,000,000 based on the
same tax rate as in 2010 and this differential increases to
$1,500.000 when the money received for the 2010 Olympic celebration is
excluded from the 2010 revenue, wch I think it shd be.
However because the original budgeted costs for 2011 were
approximately 5 % above the projected costs for 2010 the District
proposed an increase in the tax rate to cover this shortfall.

Continuing tax increases have been the result of overspending by
municipalities during the past ten years. The average in B.C.
was twice the sum of the rate of inflation and population
increase. For West Vancouver it was three times.
But municipalities did not cut back their spending when the recession
started and in 2008 West Vancouver awarded a high wage increase for a
four-year contract. The result is that West Vancouver's
costs have continued to increase at over 5% a year (while private
industry and government agencies are reducing their costs). In
fact during the last six years West Vancouver has increased the number
of full-time employees by 100, has added further levels of senior
management and awarded them high salary increases. This
continual increase in operating expenses is not sustainable especially
when ratepayers' ability to pay has decreased.

So where do we stand at the beginning of 2011?

a. The 2011 budget shows a projected increase in revenue
of $1,000,000 - $1,500.000 based on the 2010 tax rate.
This sum is equivalent to a 3% increase in tax revenues.

b. In 2010 we had no tax [rate] increases and that was
achieved by reducing incidental and capital expenses to cover the
increased cost of staff salaries.

c.. We ended 2010 with a $500,000 dollar surplus even
though there was no concentrated effort to reduce labour costs and
operating expenses.

d. There has been and continues to be an unjustifiable
increase in operating expenses.

e. In 2011 Union employees will receive another 4%
increase in their wages that was negotiated in 2008.

f. There will be an increase in the utility rates of
approximately 8%, which will be equivalent to about a 3%
increase in property taxes.

g. Residents want to maintain the existing services, and
we agree to that.

h. Many residents are facing a reduction in their income
due to continued recession.

So, with all these facts in mind, where do we go from here?

On the basis that the staff projects an increase in revenue of
$1.5M for 2011 without a tax [rate] increase, we recommend a zero tax
[rate] increase and no cuts to services.

The increased revenue should be sufficient to cover [any] extra
costs if there is a concentrated effort by Council and management to
{review} operating expenses in all depts, {increase efficiency, and
reduce costs in all departments.} This is essential and
achievable considering the increase in employee numbers and operating
expenses in the past ten years.

At the moment there's a 1.1% increase in the tax rate moved by
Ccl. The danger is, if the 1.1% tax [rate] increase is approved,
incidental and capital cost expenses will be reduced to allow for
this, but no action will be taken on the crucial issue of reducing the
high level of operating expenses.

That's where my main theme is.

We HAVE to reduce operating expenses.

We've been increasing them for ten years; we must reduce them,
not just carry on as is.

By approving a zero tax rate increase, West Vancouver will be
demonstrating its commitment to containing operating expenses and will
lead other municipalities to control their spending as well.

want to live in a M that properly manages its budget and agrees
to zero per cent increase; that is the right thing to do. Pls
vote on a 0% increase

Mayor: next Dennis Perry

> Dennis Perry: currently many many articles
being written across Canada and beyond about excessive M spending and
taxation

xxx, popn growth inflation; excessive wrt the taxpayer's ab to
pay

if not apparent now, will be; not sustainable, has to
change

WV has the opp to take leadership for all BC

M election coming up this year and if this Ccl can agree on a 0%
tax increase for this year, give us two in a row, impact on this
prov

think we're going to be the focal point of the media, other Ms,
taxpayers across the prov, and candidates

ev will be saying, look at what WV has ; why can't we do
that

at the v least, wd expect them to move closer to our
position

budgetary process and taxation

if I felt it was an either/or situation zero or services; if I
believed we cdn't; I wdn't be sitting here today; I've listened to
Cclrs and looked at the numbers

we can have both zero and a situation we can maintain all our
services

am asking Ccl to agree to zero per cent tax increase and with
this leadership, felt across BC; this cd well be a catalyst

cd be sea change how Ms handle budget process and taxation

sincerely hope you can agree on tax increase b/c right for WV and
BC

> Keith Pople: [8:09 TEXT NOT YET
RECEIVED]

ADRA and the ITAC org spent considerable time preparing and
making submissions.....

Both grps have expressed concern re continuing increases; not
sustainable and must be brought under control

Staff's original budget was 2.35% reduced to 1.1% by reducing
some capital and some misc expenses however no consideration was given
to reducing staff payroll wch accounts for more than 80% of our
operating costs.

as this is evidently not the case, I want to propose two motions
from the floor

Main ignored by staff and denied by Ccl too many ppl earning too
much money -- it's that simple

The motion I propose is that the fiscal years 2011 - 2013, that
all salaried staff receive no monetary bonuses, raises, step
increases, or any other form of increased financial remuneration, and
any promotions, draws, or ... red circle ... existing pay rate, prior
to a motion of transfer; also includes any increase in benefit package
or......

Motion No 2: all existing job vacancies, hourly or salary, from
Jan 1 2011 to 2013 not be filled; all vacancies --retirement,
resignation, termination or death; includes police, fire, and library
staff; the sole exception are the ambulance service and paramedic
staff who are required to meet existing staff levels for 2010.

Any variance from the above must be presented to all taxpayers by
mail prior to a public roundtable session and ccl mtgs with each
vacancy needing a specific motion.

This is not a hardship b/c the av wage of $80K and certainly Ccl
discusses a lot of items far below that

The Ccl decision must also be unanimous.

In closing, leave you with a

quotation from 2000 years ago: temerity is not always
successful

thank you

=============================================================

RECAP, NAME CORRECTION,
AND EXPANDED TRANSCRIPT

=============================================================

8:14 {NB
-- In case you were not at the last
ccl mtg, Dec 13, and George Pajari's remarks at this mtg are in
response to those made Dec 13 (Item 7), a mtg at wch he was not
present, I'll save you the trouble of remembering or reading the
transcript in WVM2010-29, here is the relevant part (in particular
that wch I've underlined for this WVM).}

left off with unprecedented amt of participation
by the cmnty as well with a wide range of excellent suggestions for
further tailoring of the budget by mbrs of the public and all mbrs of
Ccl.

I think that's a measure of success.

but before I outline where our discussion is
at, I do want to address the headline in the NShNews about
custom furniture and landscaping budget draw
criticism.

{And that's only what
caught attention enough to bring up publicly at this
mtg?

Isn't it much more
important that a headline said most approved of a tax hike when the
opposite is true?

Not only that, that
most who spoke and who wrote opposed the tax increase were verifiable
right at that mtg simply by counting -- no need to go back and
check.

Furniture (something
from the past) and landscaping (less than $50K in 2011 budget) may be
worth mentioning but pale in comparison with reporting the public's
opinion to be the opposite of what was heard at the
mtg.

Perspective and
context are important considerations in these discussions over budget
and whether or not to raise the tax rate, esp if dependent upon
finding efficiencies and savings so taxpayers pay at the same rate as
the past two years rather than an ever-increasing tax
rate.}

First of all, a budget drawing criticism is a
fine thing, we're here to listen to constructive criticism and work
with that.

No one on our library staff or board who've
worked for the District for years and years has any idea what that
custom furniture reference is to, we've gone back in our
history.

What the Library is representative of is an
extraordinarily well-supported library, particularly by its
Foundation.

And there [is] a higher level of service that is
provided b/c of that Fdn.

And that is not tax dollars.

but I'm concerned that on a lack of
fact-checking by the media, we are entirely available to answer the
questions to the media at any time, and we wd never wish to curtail
public thoughts and input, but I think it's really important for the
sake of all of us, who are committed to this process to make sure we
agree on verifiable information.

{hm. Criticizing
the newspaper for not fact-checking but didn't contact the speaker to
see where his facts came from? double standard?

Don't get me wrong.
Incumbent on all to present verifiable information but when
questioning, go to the source.}

As well, we just had a cmnty survey that will
come to Ccl in January and the Library has a 98% approval rating by
the general public.

You know, we cd improve, by 2%.

{Flippant remark for
effect but pls notice it misses the mark.

I think the Library is
great and I know we all love the Library.

Isn't the survey
question about how much we love it? and we'd all, well almost
all -- and I sure don't know any of that 2% -- love the
Library.

How many of us however
know what its budget is or how the money is spent. I sure
don't.

How many when
answering if satisfied with the Library wd think of budgeting and
allocation of money?

Maybe that
2%.

IMO, anyway,
orthogonal.

I have no idea, and
I'd guess most wdn't nor give it a second
thought.

So, wdn't that
approval be separate from expenditures?

I do know a few years
ago they decided to upgrade the library cards to have the colours of
the stained glass in the memorial window, at a greater cost than what
they had since more. Pretty. Wd guess some wd approve the
extra expense and others wdn't. A matter of opinion, and maybe
not much money.

They have newer
library cards now so maybe less costly.}

[deletions;
later:]

CR:...

As for the statements about the Library, when I
heard that, I think that if someone disagreed they [sic] shd hv
called the speaker to find out where that information was so that the
onus was on the speaker to prove it.

{In case this was too
subtle for some, the point I was making was that if anyone was going
to criticize the press for writing something they hadn't checked, then
same about calling the speaker to check before criticizing.
Guess we haven't heard the end of this yet. Can't wait for the
mystery to be solved.}

Now, I adore the Library, I think it's
absolutely fabulous, and I asked about that, and that was the
experience and observation of something, and it can be
documented.

All I can say to that is that I hope that was
in the past, and that those things won't be done in the
future--

Mayor: --wasn't done in the first
place--

{has that speaker been asked? I will
then or ask he explain at next budget mtg. Give a person to
defend himself at least!}

CR: Well, I think that we shd, I'm waiting to
find out where it came from b/c I understood it was done and I'd like
to see the proof.

[deletions]

[Kirsty] Farquharson, Lib Bd mbr: comment last
week and in NSN, did today some extensive investigation at the
Library

looking at our bd minutes and records of what has
been approved over last four to five years; also talked with our
long-standing dept heads, some who've been at the Library for 30
years; cd find no information whatsoever on a $40K purchase made for
custom furniture; I cd make no reference to any inlaid veneer custom
furniture that exists in the Library, no one has any knowledge of that
whatsoever to put this matter to rest please

------

My apologies to everyone that the name of the head of the Library
was missing from the transcript.

Pam was speaking as I returned to my seat so that minute or so
were unclear to me; I didn't hear everything and the name of the
person speaking was not given.

HERE IS THAT SECTION, EXPANDED (new
part is underlined, red):

...

Mayor: thank you

CR: to end, what I'd say, I think that the idea that the Ch of
Commerce has is really great. That wd be a new beginning, and I
support that as well.

Mayor: thank you v much

CR: thank you

Mayor: I have Kirsty Farquharson on the
list again. Is this b/c of serving on the Lib
Bd?

KF: Yes

Mayor: All right. And I see that
our Director of Library Services is here as well.

If either one of you wd wish to just,
pls, put this to rest, this budget item to rest, I think we wd all
appreciate it.

{No name, as you
see below, so I assumed KF whose name had just been given; turns out
from the ccl mtg minutes just approved, that in fact it was
Jenny Benedict, whose position I know as

Chief Librarian and
who only started late summer}:

Madam Mayor and to Ccl, good
evening.

Reading the comment that was made at Ccl
last week and then that appeared in the North Shore News, I did today,
do some extensive investigation at the Library, looking both at our
board minutes and records of what has been approved, and certainly
over the last four to five years. I also talked with our
long-standing dept heads, some of whom have been at the Library for 30
years. I cd find no information whatsoever on a $40K purchase
made for custom furniture. I cd make no reference to any inlaid
veneer custom furniture that exists in the Library. No one has
any knowledge of that whatsoever, so I wd like to put this matter to
rest pls.

Mayor: tyvm; That concludes public input
for the evening.

THIS IS WHAT rather cryptic WVM2010-29
had:

Christine Farquharson, Lib Bd mbr: comment last week and in NSN,
did today some extensive investigation at the Library...

{Ccl minutes for adoption say: "referred to
comments made at the previous ccl mtg, spoke relative to Library
expenditures regarding furniture, his previous comments regarding the
budget, Library Foundation expenses and spoke in support of a zero tax
rate"

At the previous Council meeting my credibility was called into
question by Council and a member of the gallery, so I beg your
indulgence if my response takes slightly more than three
minutes.

Mayor: we're going to try to stick to three minutes.

GP: Several weeks ago I made a presentation related to fiscal
prudence within the Municipality, some of which was quoted in the
media. This triggered a response from Your Worship, from a Library
Board member, and a letter published in the North Shore News from the
Board Chair who wrote:

"The claim that the library board spent $40,000 on custom
furniture with inlaid veneer carved to match the pattern on the carpet
is erroneous."

She is right.

I was wrong.

It wasn't $40,000, it was $43,561.03.

{laughter from
audience}

And it wasn't custom furniture with carved inlaid
veneer, it was custom furniture with engraved
veneer.

You excoriated the North Shore News for a lack of fact-checking.
You want facts?

- these are the minutes of the Board mtg that approved
the expenditure;

{holds them up}

- here is the Financial Report from the District
detailing the expenditure;

{held aloft}

- here's a photo of the furniture I sent to the
manufacturer; and

{showed}

- here is their email confirming they made it and it was
custom.

{flourished}

And to the claim that even people who worked at the Library
for 30 years had no information on any custom furniture? The
Library was so proud of the furniture, they put a photo of it in their
annual report.

{waved it while laughter behind
him}

And this was around the time, you, Your Worship,--

{laughter and guffaws from
gallery}

Mayor: --pardon me?

And that was around the time, you were the Council rep to the
Library Bd, Your Worship.

So, more than the denials--

Mayor: -- so I wasn't the Mayor, that's for one thing, and one
mbr of Ccl is still on that same ccl [sic] {Lib Bd?}, so I think
that--

GP: cd I finish, Your Worship?

Mayor: Well, I'm counting my seconds that I'm using up, so you
won't have to hurry, but I think that Ccl believed you were referring
to this last year. Carry on.

{does it matter wch
year?}

GP: More than the denials and selective amnesia about this
extravagant expenditure, it is fascinating to note what elicited a
response. Last month I commented on three things:

- $40,000 in questionable spending,

- roughly a million dollars in a wasteful and untendered
contract

- and a lack of transparency surrounding the $20
million Endowment Fund.

Of these three amounts -- which one concerned people the most
and generated the only responses?

The one for $40K. Not a peep about the million spent on
the gold-plated telephone system. Not a murmur about my claim
the community was misled about the $20M Endowment fund.
Interesting that the $40K bothers some more than the
millions.

It was also interesting to hear you, Yr Worship, mention how well
we're served by the Library Foundation. You really want to bring up
the Library Foundation? Were you aware that their financials
filed last year showed that they raised $127K but spent $134K on
overhead? That's right, if the Canada Revenue Agency's
figures are correct, the WV Library Foundation spent $7K more on
overhead than they raised. That effectively means that of that $127K
donated to the Foundation in 2009, not one penny went to the
Library.

All that money you helped raise for the Library at the Croquet
Tournament that year? Eaten up in expenses.

And you want fact-checking? -- here's the CRA [Canada Revenue
Agency] tax return for that year.

{threw the pages down; titter from
gallery}

You said that 98% of West Vancouverites approve of the Library
-- as if that excused this waste. That's not the point. I
personally approve 100% of the Library. I love the Library -- as a
volunteer I wrote the original Wikipedia entry on our Library.
We're not talking about how wonderful the services we receive are,
we're talking about efficiency -- how the money is spent to deliver
the services. That's the point that those who defend this waste,
are completely missing.

So I ask every member of this Council and Your Worship -- if you
are serious about ending this attitude of complacency, this attitude
that we have 98% approval so can spend money any way we want, then you
will hold the line on taxes, and you will direct staff to find the
savings in the operating budget and not merely by again mortgaging our
future through deferred infrastructure maintenance.

{The Mayor apologises to George
Pajari after the last speaker. See ***}

I'm going to continue on with Garrett Polman

> [8:19] Garrett Polman: [TEXT
SUPPLIED]

I know you're all struggling with finding ways to reduce
our municipal expenses, I'd like to make a suggestion that
could reduce the budget by $500K or close to 1% of the 2011 budget w/o
in any way affecting services to the public or staffing levels.

Most budgets assume 100% of the planned salaries and
benefits will be used. In practice, because of turn-over and
retirements there are often gaps between one person leaving and that
person's replacement arriving. In fact that's one of the reasons
the 2010 forecast is under budget.

In a small organization this tends to be volatile,
but once an organization reaches several hundred employees, you get a
more meaningful average. In the corporations I worked for we
found this on average amounted to 1% of the S&B budget, and
practice was to reduce the budget accordingly. It's one of the
approaches, a "best practice", that kept funds that weren't
going to be used anyway out of the budget.

As I mentioned, this in no way affects services to
the public or staffing levels. It does take some discipline.
Thank you.

Also, 1.1% is well within
the 2 - 3% margin of error (found by V4S WG) to be typical between
budgets & actual finals in recent years.

So, from a practical point
of view, the difference between 0% & 1.1% is not very
significant.

And, nobody wants (or
should want) to stray into the counter-productive territory of:
"Floggings will Continue Until Morale Improves".

{bit if a stretch; it is obvious
that just as Ccl while not going to keeping the same tax rate,
residents did convince them to at least go down to 1.1%. Lewis,
Sop, and Walker are agreed and It is hoped one more cclr will
agree........}

> [8:27] CR: Happy New Year!

{Ccl minutes for adoption say: "spoke relative to
the proposed budget, queried relative to support for business and
resident associations, Balanced Scorecard and costs, spoke relative to
the upcoming Chamber of Commerce reception, the proposed 2011 tax rate
and suggestions regarding the budget process.

Discussion ensued."

and here's the transcript:}

Thank you for giving more time for budget input.

Thank you also for the add'l effort to lower the increase.

Laudable as the goal of passing the budget by the end of the year
is, residents will probably be more appreciative of keeping costs
under control.

2.35% to 1.1% -- now, just a bit more effort to find under
$600K, and the budget, the total budget, is over $100M, so this
shd not be too difficult.

We need not go so far as Mayor Ford in Toronto who threatened to
fire any mgr who did not cut by 5%.

Some areas to look at wrt efficiencies have already been
mentioned by speakers, as well as more formally by ADRA, ITAC, and me
(in WVM).

There are some issues for wch I have not yet received a
reply.

The Balanced Score Card (BSC) has the Ambleside Biz Assn as a
priority but I didn't see how much was to be spent.

Quite apart from that, in the interests of fairness, will there
be support for the Dundarave Biz Assn, the Caulfeild Village Biz
Assn, the Horseshoe Bay Biz Assn?

And then why not for ratepayer groups -- Brit Prop, ADRA,
WRA?

How does advocating such priorities, presumably at some cost,
help keeping costs down?

It sounds good but where's the biz plan?

Last week the District website posted a notice for a Ch of
Commerce Evening Reception in a couple of weeks "to find out what
Ccl has planned for this year" -- at a cost of $50 to $60 per
person.

This seems rather strange.

No problem with the January breakfast the Chamber has had during
wch the Mayor gives the "State of the District".

As for plans for the coming year and with the major project for
Ambleside, it seems to me that this shd be done at a ccl mtg or a
townhall mtg.

{Afterthought: and strange to
emphasize the biz cmnty, agreed really important, but again shows the
residents, the taxpayers (not to mention the high proportion) who live
in the area secondary! }

The puzzle is that if that's done, why wd residents want to pay
$60 for the same information?

That wdn't be fair to the Chamber.

Note, I'm not suggesting Ccl try to get revenue or fundraise by
charging the public to find out what's going on or what's being
planned.

As for now, since the deadline for the budget is May 15th, a task
force or WG cd be struck to look at possibilities for efficiencies,
reallocation, revenue, etc.

Aim for no tax rate increase this year and/or think about what to
do for 2012.

Keep in mind that while depts and even you, Ccl, have a great
approval rating, that is separate from prudent spending of taxpayers'
money since most have not examined or evaluated expenditures.

You know there are many willing to volunteer their time and
expertise to help in these difficult times.

It is difficult and complex but with your policy of cmnty
involvement, take advantage of their valuable contributions.

Good luck.

Thank you.

I will say though, that ppl have made some interesting
presentations. Some may know that I do a transcript of the
mtgs, so anybody who wants to see a written transcript of what ppl say
and what ppl have said tonight, they can be found in West Van Matters
at www.westvan.org -- tyvm.

Mayor: thank you

{applause}

Mayor: they cd go on line to westvancouver.ca and see it
verbatim

{Yes, that's the video on the DWV
website but it takes a long time to watch it all or to find the part
you're interested in. Faster to read. Besides, you can
grep/search for items or topics on the westvan.org
website.}

just to clarify, the exact same presentation that is coming to
Ccl Jan 24th is going to be repeated at the Chamber event in the
evening, and there's a charge for that b/c it's a fundraiser, and
it was a fundraiser last year at the same price. They do v well,
and we support the Chamber, but of course, it's all public first as it
shd be.

{Note, however, that the notice
that appeared over a week ago on the DWV website's home page made NO
mention of the plans for the year being given in public at a ccl mtg
so left with the impression, only or first chance. Good to hear
will be announced at a public mtg first.

One can't help wondering if a
fundraiser for the Chamber, why not a fundraiser for the resident
assns....).

thank you for clarifying the Chamber's role in the Amb
presentation, that is, in lieu of a breakfast that is held on an
annual basis where the Mayor reviews the entire year, the coming year
of course being Amb front and forward, this is a different sort of
gathering, and it is one -- there's always a charge as I'm sure Ms
Reynolds is aware.

{Yes, Ms R is. The State of the
District has been a January breakfast mtg for years, yes. For
specific plans, no. Isn't this
the first time an evening reception. Also, it was by itself on the DWV
website saying the first chance to find out what Ccl's plans for
Ambleside are, with no reference to a public mtg and with a
substantial charge, $60. Obviously implying exclusive and before
everyone else.}

At any rate, I wanted to bring forward what the Chamber is going
to be doing in the next little while.

Cclr Sop said where is the appetite for change.

The Ch is v aware of an appetite for change in transparency and
education on the budget, therefore Ms Leemhuis and I will be meeting
towards the end of this month for a good bit of time to go through the
budget to decide how to present it in public education mtgs. We
are targetting starting those discussions in March

This year public education and transparency on the budget will be
from March until basically the budget is passed some time in
December.

That will go right through the election campaigns and so forth
and so on

There's where I think the appetite for change

different format where the public can come and ask questions
directly of Ms Leemhuis or Mr McRadu or Mr Leigh or whoever is there
from Ccl or executive

hope to have some speakers from UBC or SFU, who will also
illuminate different aspects

I welcome the public to come; we're going to be talking to Shaw
Cable, hope to cover

Then I take off my Ch pin to speak as a mbr of the public

v much in favour of Cclr Smith's 1.1%, reasonable, fair

agree with Alex Tunner on pretty well everything he said tonight,
is reasonable, achievable

hoping Chamber will assist; over time, in a process of
reinventing the we deliver services

time to break things apart and say how can we do this
better

in holistic way, not in a line by line way.

So I'm v much in favour, as a citizen, of a 1.1%

Mayor: thank you. Anybody?

sorry, did I miss you? I ticked your name off, my
mistake

> Lyle Fox: thank you for permitting me to say a
few words on this subject

in WV for 46 years, never seen the assessment go so high as this
time though, for starters

I volunteered, attended, one of these cmtes, budget, four or five
years ago

had $40-50M in reserve funds for capital works

When I listened to the dialogue and was introduced. then I asked
to speak or make a comment, I was promptly told by the chairperson
that "you're here only as an observer at the behest of the chair;
we'll tell you if you can ask questions"

so I walked away from the situation

{Absolutely
true!

As it happens, I was at that mtg
when that happened. It was embarrassing and of course
frustrating for Mr Fox (whom I did not know).

I started to go to Finance mtgs
b/c three or four ppl before me had attended (some accountants) had
been going and letting me know what happened but they ALL gave up in
frustration so rather than have no information, b/c I wanted something
about the finances and budgeting in WVM, it turned out I had to go
myself.

Mr Lyle was not the only one to
have been silenced in various cmte/WG mtgs and that's why I worked
ceaselessly when on the Cmnty Engagement Cmte for residents to be
allowed to attend and to speak if on a "point of information"
b/c not being a mbr it was not really the time/place for debate but
IMO it wd be helpful for the members to have all relevant information
before making a recommendation to Ccl. I'm happy to say it was
generally agreed at the CEC but has been v unevenly implemented with
some staff and chairs claiming not to be aware of the
procedure.

Some on Ccl claim to advocate
public involvement but do not ensure it takes place, or even that
residents are made to feel welcome.

It's not meant to be carte
blanche. At one mtg a devpr started to make a pitch and was
ruled out of order, with wch I totally agreed -- it was not
information per se.

Indeed at one mtg I was
prevented from speaking, not recognized, yet a staff mbr just spoke up
and was allowed to continue speaking.

We have to get across that
residents are really important -- not staff first, not biz/devprs
first, rather all included, and not so lopsided.

It wd help if you reminded Ccl
of that.

Residents shd not be treated
like second-class citizens.}

I'm back here today

I worked for major entrepreneurs in town as a CFO: Sam Belzberg,
Ted Rogers, Sid {Welsh/Rousch, cdn't quite hear}, Frank Griffiths,
those guys

We never tackled a budget not knowing how to finance

so the first thing you have to do is find out what you wd like
to do and then what you can afford to do

intermixing of capital expenditures and funds in capital, getting
involved with operating revenues, disbursements, is not, .... they
don't mix; that's not the right way to go about it

I was astonished at data, reason I'm here is paper I picked up,
last couple of days, about the increase in wages, of employees

They don't come without any tools, equipment, trucks, vehicles,
and whatever

every time adding someone they need something whether computers,
or whatever

either wdn't be hiring them; have to do a job

do it, afford the costs, pay their way

that's the essence re approach to budgeting

what you can afford to do without burdening the
taxpayers

one other thing; a classic example was the imposition of the
water meters in the M

GVRD said you have to pay our share for water; then meters
came in

nobody asked or told us how much it wd cost till all
done

then these huge water bills, never anticipated

replacement cost of the storm sewers and water pipes now all
added into that metering bill

never that way before

we have dropped and lost the sinking fund reserves we had for
capital expenditures that were used on good things, a lot to cmnty
ctrs that we built, addns to facilities, and that's not taking the
whole picture into account

have to look at what you can afford to do before you start to do
it, what you can afford to employ and utilize before utilizing it
otherwise you'd never make a cent in biz

thank you

APPLAUSE

[8:38] Mayor: thank you for your input and thank you for coming
back [1.1%]

TP: read the first time

MS: second for discussion

TP: always appreciate all the input from the cmnty

go back to fiscal sust task force

wages and benefits substantial

neg contracts and need to honour them

opp in 2012; unfortunately tied into across LM

decision to save on expenditures -- to cut services

imp for me to go back to ... the reality of public opinion

interested to know when we'll get the latest survey, a broader
presentation of what wanted and how deliver it

widening the financial base; think we've been moving in that
direction

Sports Master Plan -- no more money, more partnerships and be
more efficient

got to have a plan to use funds wisely ...

user pay

working on egovt

allowing ppl in and be part of the discussion

..... pilot, ......

Parks WG looking at our Parks Master Plan not done for 30
years, time done

how do it differently

......passion of mine, need to be taking care of it

am supportive of 1.1%, we have been changing
direction

this new team to deliver that

zero doesn't mean anything -- based on .......

not zero for zero's sake

not from what I'm hearing from the cmnty

utility infrastructure -- our dept has done a first class
job

... clear we've underfunded it

there's tax increase there -- will be part of your overall prop
tax

we've done an excellent job of tackling

ea resp three times ... Vancouver

Police and Fire probably valued as No 1

not looking at changing them

Fire Chief looking at efficiencies with NV

think we're going in the right direction

look to deliver services more ......

maybe zero for next year, and look at

Mayor: ev five minutes; make sure all get a chance

MS: half of Ccl want to spend more and half less

Smith screwed up and move on

think we have to talk about the big picture

$35 per yr not signif

talk about what's coming down the pike

default

cities, states, ... collapse of the two major currencies; Europe
and US

unless you think the Germans will work to 70 ..... so Greeks can
retire [early]....

into our org going forward

these are the things we shd begin to talk about

not three to five years down the road, it's coming soon

reason I proposed 1.1%

general fund proposed 5%

take from Op reserves, take on debt, or xxx

I'm not prepared -- a budget of more than 5% and 1.1%

after five years

Ms L ... proper budget process, no debate

falls ... and that's what you do

staff here, look bored

Mayor: more a function of the set up

MS: may I finish?

I hear around the cmnty, no traffic bulges

{good point; I've also heard from
residents who wd happily delay those bulges -- anyone know how much
each one costs?}

Mr Fung no idea

MS Mooi no idea

lower, why?

won't know plans for tennis

got to change how we do things, time to do it; stop unnec debate
and questions

the gold standard is that we have to treasure ev dollar

xxx budgetary process to do that

whether you want zero or 1.1, can't spend 5%

[8:53] ML: process -- before amendment discussion?

Mayor: ...

ML: you don't have to look v far; VSun, xxx, ... all starting to
wake up

don't want to rehash

I do believe District and and staff can do better

and residents deserve that

APPLAUSE

Mayor: we need some specifics so will come back to you

ML: after motion?

Sop: I was expecting something on the floor that wd get me
worked up

Mayor: doesn't take much

Sop: agree with no [increase?]

will go a long way

quality staff, do hard work for us; witnessed over the year, no
question

.... size of bureaucracy

look at size of govt in relnship with the size of this
cmnty

if we're as close to zero increase, this is not a hard thing
to do

the stmt is profound

with what we've heard from Nina and CAO ev will have to pitch
in

next year, a new direction.

timely for you to be here, new CFO; we will embark on that

wd like to see emphatically

see incredible growth figures for taxpayers; can't sustain if we
don't have a plan for the future

working with the cmnty and some of us

look at it as positive; look at you to make motions, Lewis, but
will expect no

SW: it's 1.1, not that difficult to get to zero

inspire excellence; will be a task

Dir/Fin is committed to ev dept, seriously looking at this

support what Cclr Lewis

Mayor: 1.1% is on the floor

Ev: agree with most of what has been said tonight

hoped we'd come up with xxx

believe abundance of expenses that can be cut; heard some from
public

we've got to balance something that is sustainable

zero year after year is not sustainable

{yes, it is b/c it isn't actually
zero!}

we're committed to increases of 4%

CPI in excess of 2%; in Canada 1.5%

got somewhere between 1 and 5%

through efficiencies we've been able to achieve somewhere
between those figures

think going in right direction

over last few years, take av we've approved

take 1.1% on the table at the moment

little over 1% in each of three years

we've had the lowest increase of the last two years, this
M

doing something right

need somebody to tell us where to make cut

Mayor: sorry you missed that mtg. Cclr Walker, ev xxx

what we all love is that ev cares so much

reminds (??) us what we did five years ago

reducing staff and not filling jobs

reducing firefighters or number of police for good?

know
what a windstorm means

throughout the year

predictable stable change

cmnties with low or no popn growth are the ones with the highest
quality of life

ever justify

number of employees -- direct transit; increases in
recreation

no $10M invested by Min of Health

B standard re Fire Dept

We believe ... we hold ... highest standards in BC

sorry to interrupt exciting

staff can speak

good no party system

other mayors can count on votes before walking in

here no more diff for staff

decision-making may seem xxx

Dir/Fin; ccl apptmts; Evison and Walker

thank you, Mr Fox, xxx

*** [9:06]

And I wd like to apologize to Mr Pajari on the Library b/c I
asked our Chief Librarian.

When we redid the entrance to the Library, you'll remember we
did purchase new furniture and a new rug there, and I asked the Chief,
and I said, ah, maybe that was six years ago? five? and I cdn't get
verification of that.

OTOH, the entrance looks great.

***

so important to pay attention to long-term trends

salaries for staff will come under scrutiny; will continue; will
ask more of our citizens

{somewhere support for1.1%}

diversify our xxx

we take 20 to 40% hit b/c no ... commercial

future residents cd change

three times the number of pipes; four times firehalls
than CNV

I'm going to support this

Ev: before we call the question; pity we can't defer
decision

find out where Ccl can xxxxxx

not opposed to 1.1%

if someone can come up with [cuts to zero], I'd go for
it

if this motion were defeated; new discussion

zero, then climb back up zero

Mayor: those arguing against 1.1, their prerogative

ML: vote on this or table and bring forth another

we have a motion

what Cclr L, Ev

Mayor: ...

ML: I don't support this

vote on this motion and then another

Mayor: go to MS

MS: Cclr Ev

last year cut ...

all we're doing is passing on; not prepared to play that
game

if ppl have the magic formula to zero

if, in fact, that is a actual stmt

think we shd table, not defeat it,

get that spending down to freezing taxes

Mayor: to Ms Scholes -- possible to table?

MClk: Ccl can further defer

Mayor: ...

MClk: cd call on first; cd to second reading

[9:12] Mayor: if accepted xxx

MS: don't want to belabour this

I think there's an obligation for those who support zero to step
up

budget 5% there

cannot freeze taxes and spend 5%

can xxx

if there are those who want to freeze taxes

want to hear specifically what they want to take out

childish

Mayor: I agree with

Sop: come on

we don't have the luxury sitting down with staff

with $76M

you can't tell me

complemented working with staff

I've got the floor now

we're trying to do something correct

prime example

this staff; cd make some significant cuts

move ppl into different depts

ways of saving, haven't even been examined

don't tell me can't

don't tell me ... this is game-playing

Mayor: spent a lot of time

Sop: ...

MS: if so easy, what have you been doing for 14
years?

move forward!

we shd pass a motion, exactly where CAO and Dir/Fin

Sop: Cclr Lewis

ML: confused; have a motion wrt Smith and Sop

Mayor: xxx staff at 2.35, ended up with 1.1%

we chose not to go to zero in Dec

in the absence of further recommendations; haven't
heard what will be

Ev: sorry, Madam Mayor

Mayor: we're all aware a motion we can entertain... but this
brought forward

so first reading

CARRIES

Second reading TP/MS

Mayor: debate

MS: at what stage; not going to pass this

Mayor: ...

MS: can xxxxxx

[9:18] SW: we're close

freeze Ccl salary, doesn't amt to much

if we're going to ask org to make, these cuts

there are 70 potential retirements in 2011; something
that can be addressed at that time

other indivs

Dir/Fin and I have talked about number of
redundancies

don't know number or scope but in an org this size you know
they exist

we've been talking about e-service delivery models

processing of licences; examples where we can start to chip away
and deliver ...

zero symbolic; sends a msg to other Ms

every one of us ran [fiscal prudence?]

willing to work with DirFin over next couple of weeks to
get to zero

Ev: one of the speakers mentioned

over course of year ppl do leave and that position not filled
immediately

any idea of what the value of that wd be in the coming
year?

easy to say that person's position will be filled immediately but
might not be

must be a margin there -- any idea what that wd be?

experience from last year, had a surplus, more than what we
anticipated

analysis of $500K? over number of depts or?

Dir/Fin: have tightened up the labour model to a greater
degree this year

in prev year salary listed for a particular grade, may hv bn
higher; now listed at value

vacancy adjustments hard to manage

particularly how we came out of zero last year; all depts managed
v well

looked at closely last year

reiterate, all vacancies go through an internal review

rigorous progress right now

is there wriggle room? in an org this size there
has to be; not quantifiable most give adequate notice

I too appreciated suggestion that came forward from the
gallery

also a large portion of the surplus from tightening by
Police

looked at their pay grade; they planned when out to education,
when coming back in; other depts have done the same

This bylaw received first reading at the November 15, 2010
Council Meeting, was the subject of the Public Hearing held and
adjourned on December 13, 2010, and the subject of a Reconvened Public
Hearing held earlier this evening.

If the Reconvened Public Hearing is closed, Council is not
permitted to receive any further submissions on this bylaw, and second
and third reading of the bylaw may be considered.

RECOMMENDED:THAT the report dated December 22, 2010 regarding
Zoning Bylaw No. 4662, 2010 - Public Hearing Follow Up be received
for information.

RECOMMENDED: THAT "Zoning Bylaw No. 4662, 2010" be read a
second time.

RECOMMENDED: THAT Proposed Zoning Bylaw No. 4662, 2010 be
amended as set out in Appendices "E" and "F" as attached to
the report dated December 22, 2010 regarding Zoning Bylaw 4662, 2010 -
Public Hearing Follow Up.

RECOMMENDED: THAT "Zoning Bylaw No. 4662, 2010" be read a
third time as amended.

1. The federal and provincial governments will make a
one-time extension of the deadline for funding of projects under
the Building Canada Fund - Communities Component and Infrastructure
Stimulus Fund from March 31, 2011 to October 31, 2011;

2. All funding from the Government of Canada and the
Province will cease after October 31, 2011;

3. The District of West Vancouver has asked the
provincial government for an extension to October 31, 2011 for the
following project(s):

Correspondence list Dec 6 to 31 [all in prev issue] received for
information.

15. OTHER ITEMS -- No items [9:55]

16. REPORTS from MAYOR/CCLRS

TP: OGC AGM on Jan 19

Mayor: I'll mention that next

17. PUBLIC QUESTIONS/COMMENTS none / 18.
ADJOURNMENT 9:56

{Correspondence for
the year 2010 at: http://www.westvancouver.ca/Level3.aspx?id=27458
}

=== CCL MTG AGENDA
JANUARY 24th ===

6pm in the MUNICIPAL HALL MAIN FLOOR CONFERENCE
ROOM

7pm in the MUNICIPAL HALL COUNCIL
CHAMBER

Note: At 6pm the regular Council Meeting will
commence in open session and will be immediately followed by a motion
to exclude the public in order to hold a closed session,... At 7pm the
open session will reconvene.

6:00 PM

1. CALL TO ORDER OF OPEN SESSION

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

2. RECOMMENDED: THAT in the public interest, members of the
public be excluded from part of the January 24 reg Ccl Mtg on the
basis of matters to be considered under the following section of
the Community Charter:

90. (1) A part of a council meeting may be closed
to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to or is
one or more of the following:

1. personal information about an
identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a
position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or
another position appointed by the municipality; and

11. negotiations and related discussions
respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at
their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could
reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if
they were held in public.

3. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION

7:00 PM

Following conclusion of the closed session, the following items
will be considered:

1. The request for a Boulevard Encroachment Permit
and Licence of Occupation to retain a fence and shrubs located in the
boulevard, be declined;

2. The owners of 3390 Radcliffe Avenue remove all
encroachments within the boulevard adjacent to their property and
reinstate the boulevard to an acceptable condition within 30 days
of Council's resolution, at their expense; and

3. If the boulevard encroachments are not removed and
the boulevard not reinstated within the 30 day period, District staff
conduct the work and charge the cost to the owners.

THAT Rogers Communications and the Ministry of Transportation and
Infrastructure be advised of the following District concerns with
respect to a proposed 29.5 metre wireless communication tower on
Highway 1, between the westbound travel lanes of Highway 1 and the
exit to Taylor Way on the north side of the highway:

(a) Rogers Communications has not provided the District and
residents with a statement of intent for coverage and future
installations in West Vancouver;

(b) Rogers Communications has not provided to the District and
residents of a visual impact analysis of the proposal;
and

(c) the current proposal detrimentally affects the scenic quality
of the Upper Levels corridor and the views of neighbours to the north
near Eastcot Road and Mathers Avenue

Therefore

THAT Rogers Communications and the Ministry of Transportation
and Infrastructure be informed:

(a) a site along the Upper Levels corridor could be
considered where:

1. it is adjacent to densely treed slopes and rock faces;

2. the proposal is for a monopole design;

3. a design treatment is applied to a wireless communication
structure to minimize / reduce the visual impact of such facilities.
For example, a monopole design that mimics surrounding trees;
and

4. landscaping is appropriately placed at the ground level around
towers / facilities to minimize their visual impact;

and further, THAT

(b) Rogers Communications should hold a Public Information
Meeting, as per District policy on Personal Communications Systems
facilities, and provide the results of the meeting and a summary of
public comments on the proposed facility for District consideration in
formulating a response to Industry Canada.

This bylaw received first reading at the November 15 Ccl Mtg,
was the subject of the Public Hearing held and adjourned on December
13, and the subject of a Reconvened PH held and closed on January 10.
This bylaw received second and third readings at the January 10 Ccil
Mtg and received Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
approval on January 18, 2011.

[1] HEBRON REFLECTION: They left their mark
everywhere by Paulette Schroeder

Her dropped head, her clasped hands, her sad face
continue to haunt me. I ask myself: How anyone could
endure this kind of pain, especially a mother.

I sat in a stupefied silence as the
fifty-six-year-old woman told us about the invasion of her home last
October. Soldiers had awakened the family and their relatives
next door by banging on the door at 12:00 a.m. They then ordered the
families out of their homes, locked the women and young children in
the shop next door handcuffed, and blindfolded the men and adolescent
boys and told them to stand in front of a shop.

In the next twelve hours, the Israeli military shot
and killed two Palestinian men accused of killing four settlers.
Afterwards soldiers entered the same house although the family had no
connection to the killings, shot randomly into the bed, through the
blankets, under the bed, into the windows, doors, and table. I wept
within when the mother pointed out a beautiful blanket meant to
be a wedding gift for one of the sons and his wife, now riddled with
bullet holes.

The aggression did not end there. While forty
to fifty military vehicles blocked the streets outside, two bulldozers
demolished the part of the house where a newly married son lived with
his wife. They then destroyed another part of the complex
prepared for another son soon to be married. Furniture and
remains of furniture now hung from the skeletal frameworks, where once
a -family building stood.

One week after they had arrested her sons, the
military came for the mother. She remained in prison for 26 days.
When asked how the soldiers treated her, she said they
"used words that no woman should hear." At one point, they
ordered her to strip, then checked her private areas, using a detector
on some places of her naked body. She said that if the soldiers
did this to a woman in prison, what must her sons be
experiencing. I had no words to convey my sorrow to this mother. I
assured her that God would give her strength, but my words sounded
like "a ringing brass cymbal"-- so weak. I felt
burdened with the sadness of this family that had lost so much, sad
for the soldiers who now must carry the crimes they have committed
into their future, ashamed of my country that continues to fund such
aggression.

The mother told me that whenever she tells the
story, she feels a headache coming on. She is worried too
because her four sons are not working and supporting the family, and
her husband is sick. One daughter earns 600 NIS (about $150.00)
a week, but that must carry the family through all its needs.

When, Lord! Why do these Palestinian people
not count in world politics? Where shall help come for a people
who have no defense? Will these words I am writing also fall on
deafened ears? Now it is I who hang my head.

----------------------------------------------

CPT's MISSION: What would happen if Christians
devoted the same discipline and sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking
that armies devote to war? Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) seeks to
enlist the whole church in organized, nonviolent alternatives to war
and places teams of trained peacemakers in regions of lethal
conflict.

[2] HEBRON RELEASE -- Israeli Military Arrests Two Young
Palestinians by Jean Fallon

A call came for the Hebron Team to come
quickly to the street Friday, January 21,1:30pm. The
military had stopped the people going home after Friday prayers at the
Mosque. CPT found the people bottled up in
the narrow exit tunnel of the Old City. It was an explosive
situation. Some of the people had managed to push out into the
Plaza where the soldiers were yelling at the people who were
yelling back, asking the soldiers to let them return home.
Fortunately two CPT-ers from Tuwani joined the Hebron
Team in front of six soldiers who had their guns
pointed at the crowd. Each of the Team tried to get
the soldiers to calm down, to stop yelling, to let the folks go
home. Instead of listening to reason, the
soldiers yelled more at the people. They tried to
force the people to move back. They put their
guns into people's faces, young or old-anyone trying to sneak
by.

CPTers noted with joy the nonviolent ways the
Palestinians were resisiting. The young boys with the fruit
carts were the heros of the day. They lined their
fruit carts up to form a blockade to protect the people and give
them a little space apart from the soldiers. When a soldier was
yelling in his face, one young boy calmly ate his apple and refused to
budge. Someone else passed out candy. One upset young
man went up to the soldiers and pleaded with them. The soldiers
eventually arrested him and forced him into the military
compound. Later, CPT heard from the boy himself that he
was simply asking the soldiers over and over to let his father
get to the hospital for a shot of medicine. The boy said, after
the soldiers arrested him, they blindfolded him, made him kneel, tied
his hands behind him and hit him with full force on the
head.

A
man from Jordan who was in the crowd could not believe his
eyes. When asked why they were doing this, the
military said they saw someone with a gun. Once this
word was spoken, the soldiers chased one or two young
men and accused them of carrying the
phantom gun. Finally, the assemblage of military men
managed to find one terrified youth whom they brought down to their
gate with great show. At that point the crowd was released.
Some, however, stayed on concerned for the boy who had been
detained. One of the merchants from the souk told us:
"Forget any gun. This is a military exercise, the purpose of
which is to discourage people from coming to Friday worship at
the mosque."

The young boy the soldiers
had arrested earlier came by to tell CPT his story
and to thank the CPTers who had tried to monitor what happened to
him inside the gates. He was the fortunate one of the two the
Military had arrested.

In the early morning, about twenty farmers from At-Tuwani started
sowing seed and plowing fields in Khoruba valley, southeast from
At-Tuwani. Soon thereafter, five settlers arrived from nearby Havat
Ma'on outpost and positioned themselves in front of the tractors, in
an attempt to prevent the farmers from completing their work. As more
settlers arrived, tempers flared and the farmers attempted to move the
settlers and physically block them from interfering with the land
cultivation.

Approximately thirty minutes later, Israeli soldiers and Border
Police arrived and immediately stopped the tractors from plowing. The
Israeli forces took the ID cards of three farmers while removing both
settlers and farmers from the immediate vicinity of the
tractors.

The Israeli District Coordinating Office (DCO), the branch of the
Israeli military responsible for the coordination of civilian affairs,
later confirmed the right of Palestinians to plow the fields but the
Border Police requested that all Palestinians and international peace
activists leave the area, except for the farmers directly involved in
the agricultural work.

Three settler youths moved from Khoruba valley to an area one
kilometer south where they stopped another tractor from plowing and
proceeded to throw stones at a Palestinian shepherd and his flock.
Israeli forces again intervened, removing the settler youths from the
area.

After the completion of the agricultural work, one Palestinian
farmer was taken to the Kiryat Arba police station for questioning,
and later released, after a settler made a formal complaint that he
was assaulted.

An international delegation with four British MPs, was present
for part of the incident and spoke with Palestinian farmers, Israeli
forces, and an Israeli settler.

In the last five years, through several coordinated nonviolent
actions, Palestinians from At-Tuwani and Yatta have successfully
cultivated fields previously made inaccessible due to settler violence
and harassment, Through the reacquisition of this land, Palestinians
are asserting their right to the land and working to ensure their food
security for the coming seasons.

Operation Dove and Christian Peacemaker Teams have maintained
an international presence in At-Tuwani and South Hebron Hills since
2004.

[Note: According to the Fourth Geneva Convention,
the Hague Regulations, the International Court of Justice, and several
United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements and outposts in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement
outposts, including Havat Ma'on (Hill 833), are considered illegal
also under Israeli law.]

There will be a
range of events, activities, contests, conservation projects, and
other fun ways that you and your family can get involved in Parks 100
and share in the province-wide celebration!

BC Parks will
celebrate its 100th birthday on March 1, 2011. This date marks the
100th anniversary of the creation of the very first provincial park in
BC - Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. Working with
communities, First Nations, youth, and sector areas such as arts,
heritage, and tourism, BC Parks is excited to host celebrations and
events across the entire province to mark this magnificent and
historic milestone.

Whether it's
through camping, hiking, swimming, boating, wildlife-viewing,
sightseeing, or participating in a community event in our parks, we
are hoping you will join us on this amazing adventure!
"The BC Parks centennial in 2011 is an opportunity to bring
British Columbians together to celebrate the role, both past and
present that our province's parks have played in making British
Columbia world renowned. More importantly, I encourage everyone to
join in and help build a legacy for future generations, who in their
time will take up the challenge to share in the stewardship of the
natural and cultural resources that we all recognize and value in what
is a world-class parks system." Minister of Environment, Murray
Coell.

Get involved
with BC Parks 100

BC Parks is
working with a variety of cmnty groups to ensure collaboration in the
planning.
If your cmnty or agency has any suitable events that celebrate BC
Parks 100th anniversary, please email us at:
BCParks100@gov.bc.ca

Arts in the
Parks

In partnership
with the Assembly of B.C. Arts Councils and the Ministry of Tourism,
Trade, and Investment, BC Parks is hosting arts and cultural events in
parks and protected areas from March to December of 2011. To
learn more about Arts in the Parks, please visithttp://assemblybcartscouncils.ca.

Welcome to the
International Year of Forests, 2011 (Forests 2011) website, a global
platform to celebrate people's action to sustainably manage the
world's forests. The UN General Assembly declared 2011 as the Int'l
Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management,
conservation, and sustainable development of all types of
forests.

Events are being
organised throughout the Int'l Year ; there are interactive web tools
and resources to promote dialogue on forests. Tell us how you plan to
celebrate "forests for people" during 2011, so that we may
showcase your stories and initiatives through this website.http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/

January 24 - 4
February -- Ninth Session of the UN Forum on Forests / Launch of
the Int'l Year of Forests 2011

UNFF
Secretariat, UNHQ,
New York

=== BOOKWATCH ===
2.5M! -- VSun 2011 Jan 20 pD1

More than 2.5M books were bought or
borrowed in Canada last week. This means that during a typical
week in January, Canadians bought or borrowed as many books as they
purchased tix to the top box-office film, the National Reading
Campaign said in a news release. It also means it's more likely
that ppl picked up a book than watched Hockey Night in Canada.
The first National Book Count, organized by the National Reading
Campaign to promote a passion for reading in Canada, counted 2,714,956
books either sold by retailers or borrowed from public
libraries.

=== WORDWATCH ===
sesquipedality and
quasquicentennial

noun: The practice of using long words.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin sesqui- (one and a half) + ped- (foot).
First recorded use: 1759.

NOTES: Literally speaking, sesquipedality is using words
that are one and a half feet long. A related word is sesquicentennial
(150th anniversary). Nothing wrong with using a sesquipedalian word
once in a while, if it fits, but it's best to avoid too many long,
polysyllabic words. This dictum doesn't apply to German speakers
though, as Mark Twain once observed, "Some German words are so
long that they have a perspective."

There's a bean subspecies commonly known as a yardlong bean. It's
really misnamed as it's "only" half a yard long. Its
scientific name, Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis, is more
precise.

A subscriber wrote (and appeared in AWADmail):

Titin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titin is the longest 'word' in the
English language, being 189,819 letters long. But as it's a chemical
formula some consider it not a word but a collection of words strung
together.

125
yearsQuasquicentennial -- Term is broken down as
quasqui- (and a quarter) centennial (100 years). Quasqui is a
contraction from
quadrans "a
quarter" plus the clitic conjunction -que "and".
The term was coined by Funk and Wagnalls editor Robert L. Chapman in
1962.

-- Plato, Classical
Greek philosopher, mathematician, writer of
philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first
institution of higher learning in the
Western world (428/427 BC - 348/347
BC)